As filming for Cate Blanchett's "Carol" enters its final week, production head Elizabeth Karlsen has "only praise" for the talent, crew and hospitality here.

"Cincinnati is a fantastic place to film in," said Karlsen, who runs London's Number 9 films with producer Stephen Woolley, her husband.

Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett stars in "Carol," a movie set in 1950s New York about a department-store clerk (Rooney Mara) who dreams of a better life and falls for an older, married woman (Blanchett). (Photo: The Enquirer/Liz Dufour)

"Carol" directer Todd Haynes (in black) readies a shot during filming along Race street in front of the old Shillito's building. Oscar winning actress Cate Blanchett stars in the movie, set in the 1950's New York about a department-store clerk (Rooney Mara) who dreams of a better life and falls for an older, married woman (Blanchett).
The Enquirer/ Liz Dufour (Photo: The Enquirer/Liz Dufour)

Several 1950s car lined Race street during the filming of 'Carol' , which stars Oscar winning actress Cate Blanchett. It's a 1950's New York about a department-store clerk (Rooney Mara) who dreams of a better life and falls for an older, married woman (Blanchett). The movie was being filmed on Race street in front of the old Shillito's building. It's directed by Todd Haynes.
The Enquirer/ Liz Dufour (Photo: The Enquirer/Liz Dufour)

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They came here to shoot "Carol," set in 1952 New York City, because they had worked on "A Rage in Harlem" in 1990 here. The Forest Whitaker-Danny Glover film, shot in Over-the-Rhine, was set in 1956 New York.

Karlsen scouted other cities before visiting in October and November with director Todd Haynes (HBO's "Mildred Pierce"). She was amazed to see Over-the-Rhine's Italianate architecture and historic downtown buildings again.

"I didn't know how much Cincinnati might have changed. It was a really wonderful surprise to see that Downtown and Over-the-Rhine, with its really wonderful architecture, was still there," Karlsen said.

"It's a real tribute to the city. In other cities, the wrecking ball comes in. Cincinnati recognizes that the architecture is worth preserving. We looked at a lot of places, but it was an instant decision once we saw Cincinnati."

Karlsen "started this movie from the ground up," She bought the rights to Patricia Highsmith's 1952 novel, "The Price of Salt." Then she hired writer Phyllis Nagy (with whom she did HBO's "Mrs. Harris") and director Haynes, and sent the script to Blanchett.

Days after winning an Academy Award for "Blue Jasmine," Blanchett arrived in Cincinnati to star in the lesbian drama as Carol Aird, a wealthy New Yorker pursued by a younger department store clerk (Rooney Mara, "The Social Network"). They take a road trip while Carol waits for her divorce from her husband (Kyle Chandler) to be final.

"We found everything we needed here – exteriors and interiors and rural places," said Karlsen during an interview by phone between scenes in the old Oskamp Nolting building, 26 W. Seventh St., Downtown. The second floor was transformed into Frankenberg's department store, where Carol meets clerk Therese Belivet while Christmas shopping for a doll.

Cate Blanchett on the movie set in downtown Cincinnati. (Photo: The Enquirer/Shauna Steigerwald)

Oscar award winning actress Cate Blanchett takes a break from filming on the set of the movie "Carol" filming on McFarland Street in downtown Cincinnati. The movie stars Blanchett and Rooney Mara. (Photo: The Enquirer/Jennifer Koehler)